Impact Requires Participation

Exodus chapter 3.

We started a new series based on what our theme for this year is and its impact 26. And I don't know, I don't remember what's all in your note. So if I tell you some things that they're then just just listen and enjoy. What you do? God's work doesn't Advanced through spectators. And I what a way to start, huh? What a way to start God's work does not Advance through, Spectators God's work advances through willing participants Now, some of you probably maybe at that point are going to turn the message off cuz you're like I think I know what he's going to talk about but then that soup look good. There's a can of chunky Andre set up when I said soup, I think he must be hungry too. There's a can of chicken noodle something up here. Andrew, if you can find the spoon, I'll share it with you. I don't need this phone, I'll just drink right out the can. But anyway, anyway, God's work. So, in reality, if we're going to refer really honest, I don't think that we, as a

A church are we? As a people really doubt? God, I don't think we do. I just I just don't you never convince me that we really just doubt. God I don't think that we questioned his power. I don't think that we doubt at all that that he moves. I don't think that we question the power that he has to move and change in our lives. And I honestly think that we believe that God can move, if I were to ask you, can God do this, can God heal can God touch, can God can God heal cancer, yes, can God heal a broken bone? Yes can God bring back a family? That's been broken apart? Yes I think that would be the answer but a lot of us believe that that that that movement are seeing God move in our lives. Like that is for another season. It's for another time for another moment, maybe would be a better better to say because oftentimes we talked about what all he's done in the past, as though he did it in the past than that. You know, I know he has the power. I don't doubt that and I believe he has the ability. And I don't doubt who God really is. And I believe that he can move, but I just don't know. I think some of us believe that I just don't know that it's for now. I don't believe it that we really believe that it's for this moment. I'm not just talking about our church, I'm talking about all Christians in general. Just, we believe it's for another season. We believe it's from the moment we believe it's for when God really does something, you know, those really good does something Sundays when the service was so good that the pastor didn't get the breach

You don't talk about. It was really good today. Let me see how good it was our preacher. Didn't even preach. I don't know what that says about your preacher or about y'all really to be honest with you. So it was good that he didn't get to or it was good it was so good that they just never got around to it. I don't know. That could be a pensive We got a really does something so we wait. May, I think it's Christians. We spend a lot of times just waiting for God to move that that big move. Like, we heard about, we read about it. We spend money buying books to read about what he did in the past. And But we really never invest in our lives to reach out to what he might could do in the future. But we love to read about what he did. We spent the time investing in now that we did and read about what he did then we might see something happen now.

So the danger is not unbelief because we believe I think that the danger is postponement.

That we believe he's not going to move or at least, we sure haven't seen it in our lifetime so we believe that God can act but we've quietly decided that he'll Act without us.

And when I say that, I mean, because I hear people say, and I myself have said, I want to see God move.

That's spectator.

I want to see him move. Now you can say what is just a play on words? I don't know, is it? I need Bible says we're going to give an account of Every Idle Word. I mean, I think he's keeping up with what we say.

I want to see God move. I think there's a difference in seeing God move and participated in a move of God.

and those people that you read about in history, every great move of God that's ever happened, has started because somebody wanted to be a participant in that and they prayed and they fasted and they went after God.

I remember one one book that was written by Tommy Tenney many years ago, maybe you've probably read it the god Chasers And I'm not here to promote that book or not. Promote the book was a good book and far as I'm concerned, eat the meat spit out, the bone is kind of a thing. It was good parts about that. There's it's still a good book to read it, read it where was talking about being so hungry for the things of God that you abandon everything else, your band and everything else on this side of of Heaven to go after you want to see God move. I want to see God move in my generation. I don't mean I mean really, you know, one of those really move things where my generation gets written about in history of what God did during the time that I was alive in the time that you were alive. I want to see that I want to see that happen and I think sometimes we've decided, Well, maybe he's just going to do it without us because impact doesn't come from not believing that God can do more impact. Comes when people participate in what God has already said, what God is already done. And we really believe the fact that yes he did in the past and yes he can still move like that today. And furthermore not do I believe that he just can? I believe that he will move? So I pray bring your prayers. I believe, stronger, I reach out further. I give more. I put more time in. I, I want to invest in that because I don't want to just be a spectator and say, yeah, I was alive when it happened. I want to be a spectator and say I was a part of it happening. And I hope that you because only then will we make it impact on our society? It's the people participating in our world right now that are taking it in the wrong direction.

I hear what I'm saying. It's not the spectators, it's not those that are quiet and don't have an opinion and never say anything. It's those big mouth. Come on. It's those big big mouth. Ben are talkin. Those big influential people that are influencing their trying to change society from being Tommy. And I were talking about this yesterday at some point from being a Christian Nation, to being a pagan Nation.

And it's not Spectators that are doing it, it's the spectators who are allowing it.

And that's you. And I

so we have to somehow change from being people of being, just Spectators to those people who really want to be people that make impact They changed something and I think last week we started it off right by talking about impact begins with us. It doesn't begin with changing somebody else or seeing somebody else get better old. That's what we believe for. I wish they would change. I wish they would stop that. I wish they wouldn't do that, but you're right. It's always day. They, they, they are them, but it's never us. It's never me. I need to change. I need to become a personal prayer. I need to become a person of fasting. I need to become a person of influence and use that life that God put within me, and you to make an impact on those that are around us. That's when we see change for the glory of God.

It's going to be five points semi quick this morning and we'll see where it goes from there. Here's number one, God is always chosen people before he changes situations. God is always chosen people before. He changes situations, Exodus chapter 3 verse 7 says this. Then the Lord told him. I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. He says I have heard your cries of distress and because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I'm aware of their suffering so come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out.

Those words are hard to read, aren't they? Can y'all see that? Okay, good. Well, then they're not hard to read. All right. Yes, I'm aware of their suffering. So I've come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and leave them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spaces land. It's a land flowing with milk and honey. The land were the Canaanites and the Hittites and the amorites in the parasites in the headlights in the jebusites. Now live, he says look in verse 9, The Cry of the people of Israel has reached me and I've seen how harshly the Egyptians have abused them and I love this verse 10. It starts off in the NLT translation saying this now go

Who is talking to them, about everything he's seen and how he wants the move. And then the first thing that he says, next is he tells them to go. Did you catch that? He didn't say okay I'll be back in a minute. I've got to go he says now go for I am sending who you to whero you must lead my people out of Israel. You catch that God is always chosen people before, he changes situations. And I don't believe it'll be any different today, if that's going to change things in our world, in our land, for the good. Then the way that's going to happen is he's going to choose somebody and I believe that he's chosen us or we wouldn't be here. Now, I think if he was through with us, would be on the other side of the dirt, we will be pushing up daisies. Rather than enjoying their beauty. So the Court Street serious God rarely fixes the situation first, he usually raises the person into the situation. Before you get too happy and say, yes, he's going to race. Somebody up that somebody is you

if you can pull out a mirror this morning and see yourself, the person in the mirror is who he's probably sending to do something. So God saw the suffering, heard. The cries knew exactly what was happening. Yet, he didn't remove the problem first, he sent a person into the problem.

This is God's constant pattern all through history. We're going to see it time and time again. Look at Moses. God didn't end slavery. He sent a man. God didn't collapse Egypt overnight, he didn't erase Sparrow, he didn't remove pressure, he called Moses back into the middle of the mess. You've got to understand that God could have done this and God could have with one thought erase the whole problem and just eradicated the problem and just knock them off the face of the Earth. He could have, he could have sent rain and just flooded the Earth and he could have done anything you wanted to do. He's God, it's his book. He can ride it the way he wants to. But he didn't do that. He called, Moses back into the Mex messed. God didn't fix Egypt, he formed Moses.

I think that applies to us today. God may not fix the problem that we're, we're praying for old God, move of God, move of God do something, and I think God is screaming back to us. Yes, I'm sending you to go represent light in a dark world. It's only dark because there's no light.

So, the application there is, if God lets you see the problem, clearly, he may be inviting you to be part of the solution.

So, it's going to be quiet in here today. It's okay. It's alright. Anybody have a snack, I'll feel better if I had something to eat. Miss you girlfriend. I don't know about cold, soup. Y'all, I'm just telling you I'm hungry, but I ain't that hungry. Look at me, Amaya Amaya didn't rebuild the wall the wall. He burned a man in a kind of big way. I mean Nehemiah was really a burden over this thing. God could have the do you believe this? I mean do you believe in that? God could have just, I mean you wake up one morning the walls there. I may believe that. Could I most likely?

Jerusalem Jerusalem, it stay broken for decades, God didn't rebuild it from heaven and say, you know. Okay, let there be walls, he could, I believe that he could, if he could have just spoke it into existence in that amazing. But he's stirred one heart in Excel Nehemiah, didn't wait for permission. He let he let burden, he had the burden and it just became obedience. He started doing it. So God didn't remove the rubble of everything that was left. He raised a Rebuilder.

God may not fix the problems in our world today. God, may not fix the problems with our young people, and with our teenagers, and, with our young adults, and with our middle-aged people, with our senior citizens, God may not fix it for you, he may call you into the middle of it to be the Rebuilder. Oh God, I pray that for this relationship, then we'll be put back together. You may be the one to help rebuild it.

So burden is often the first sign of calling. Birdman's, first time to call him. What about Esther? God didn't cancel the decree, he positioned the person. The law was signed, death was scheduled, God, didn't erase the crisis there, he positioned Esther inside of it. So, here's the cool thing. God didn't cancel the crisis, he called Esther into the middle of it. Where are you? Positioned in life right now? Where exactly where God may have you? And exactly where God intends for you, to make a move for the kingdom of God? What about David? David didn't remove Goliath, are scuse me? God didn't remove Goliath. He empowered a willing heart through a little boy named David Israel. Had soldiers. Israel had weapons, Israel had experience. But God waited for someone willing to step forward. You know that battle has been going on for days. The battle work. Go. I have appeared everyday and defy the armies and nobody stood up because they were spectators They were church folk of 2026.

Peppa Peppa Peppa Peppa. What to do? They couldn't handle it. They they just sit there. They just listen. So, God is oftentimes waiting for willingness, not qualifications because then you have this boy. This little boy named David shows up. If anybody is unqualified, it's him. He says, why I'll do it. Thank God for somebody who had enough Faith to just believe that. I believe the God can help me do this. I don't have to have the qualifications for it. I just have to say use me. Amen. And I pray that God would raise up people in this church in churches, all over the country. Then maybe were the most unqualified people on the face of the Earth, but all of a sudden just decided that hay if God's working in me that I believe it can happen.

Look at Jesus. He didn't fix the whole world from a distance. He came here, John 1:14 says this. So the word became human and it and made his home Among Us. He didn't watch for it to happen. He didn't send angels to fix it. He came himself, he was full of unfailing, love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the father, one, and only son Hebrews chapter 10 verse five and seven. It says this, this is why when Christ came into the world. He said to God, you did not want animal sacrifices, our sin, but you have given me a body to offer.

You're giving me a body to offer and everyone of you in here have that you have a body to offer, you have a brain to offer, you have strength to offer. You said why don't have as much as I used to have? Do you have any strength then he can use it. Remember, he's a miracle working, God, if he's done it in the past, he can do it again. He's just looking for that willing body with whatever you're even if you're the most unqualified person he saying hey I've got I've got a body so he's off of her success. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said look I have come to do your Will O God as it is written about me in the scriptures. I've come to do your will God, as it's written about who

Me. Every one of us can read that and apply to our life. Here's what I want to do in this world. I don't know how long I have left on this Earth. I don't know how long till it is that I get to go to heaven. But here's what, I know, as long as I have, I want a guy wife come, I'm here for this time for this appointed time to do your will of God, just as it's written about me in the scriptures, that's the ultimate example. God did not just shout salvation from Heaven. He could have done it a different way. I'm sure you said what I would have done it? I don't know. But he's God. He he didn't raise, he didn't issue a decree. He he didn't just stay in a distance and watch it happen and send somebody else. He entered the Brokenness Jesus Christ stepped into the middle of the mess and he came himself. Freezable line is this. God didn't just send the solution he sent himself.

God didn't just answered to the world has me. God's answer to the world was not just a plan but it was a person. And I'm telling you how foolish it is up to us to look around. And look at the things, the way that they are and look at people the way that they are and keep whining and keep complaining about how bad it is, when what we really need is a Revival of us of God's of us standing up saying. I'm not much, I lack all this, but. You seem to see something in me. So therefore, I am Something In You Here I Am. Lord, use me. And not being afraid of what other people say, what other people think, who gives a flying flip.

I'm just here to do what I can do.

If God himself chose to participate, why would we expect impact without involvement? If God himself chose to get involved in this, why would we expect impact on our world without the Christians being involved? So it's not a time for God to change them. It's a time for God to change us. We're missing it.

Please try to keep the a men's down to a small Roar. You're scaring me. Howard Irvin said he taught. That scripture does not replace human obedience. It empowers it.

Guys, we can quote scripture, we can say beautiful prayers, we can fast until our backbone, shakes hands with our belly button. But until we get involved with something, nothing, no impact will ever happen. But here's what I really believe in just 20 or 30 people that were here today decided that God you can use me and every one of us would do something different. Nobody would do the same thing when I don't see that there's anything to do with here's the problem. You may see that there's nothing for you to do, but the fact of the matter is the reason there's nothing you see. There's nothing for you to do is because a lot of nothing is being done because you're not doing it.

So what I'm saying is there's things to happen around the church. They could happen if there was just somebody to do it, so you may not see it being done because you're not doing it.

And I'm preaching good this morning. The holy spirit is not a substitute for obedience. He's the power for it. If God's work, depends on participation then. Then positivity is is neutral. It keeps us never going anywhere. We wrap up our motor and we never do anything and is neutral. It delays. God's work James 4:17 says this. Remember it's a sin to know what you ought to do and then not to do it. Remember, it's a sin? This pleases God to know what you want to do then not too and then not do it. Wow, that's a game-changer, isn't it?

So it's a sin for me to know that I need to do something and not do it. I want to be real careful. When I clarify this, this isn't Rebellion. It isn't hostility. Its delay. I'm just waiting. I'm just waiting. It. Sounds like this. You know? I'm just waiting on God, to tell me. I'm just waiting on God, to clear this up. I'm just waiting on direction. I've been praying, I've been praying God, you know, show it to me, right. If you're one of those airplanes have him, write it in the sky and as soon as I soon, as I see that. I'll do it.

That was just waiting or how about this, you know, I just really don't feel led to that. Did anything. You know why you don't feel bad because you're allowing the feelings of the enemy to override the feelings of God, That's already told you what you were in the Kingdom. He's already explained that to you, that you're the light. How can you choose to just go sit over here and not be the life and pray? I don't know that. I feel led to be the light right now. How can you say? I'm not sure. I feel led to go into all the world and preach the gospel. I'm just not sure that I really feel led to do that. I'm not feeling that leadership from you. I think you're lit. Your you're feeling from the wrong faler.

I have out this one. Sometimes we say, Well, when it's clear to me, I'll do it. Can I tell you? It'll never get clear to you. It'll never be any more clear and never will because the enemies going to make sure you never see it, right?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this, he warned that waiting for ideal circumstances often becomes a way of avoiding obedience. Can I read that to you again waiting for ideal circumstances? Waiting for everything to just be right, often becomes a way of avoiding obedience. So we wait till that day. When everything is clear and everything is riding. I have enough strength if I can just get over this back surgery, if I can just get over this flu if I can just get over this whatever, whatever, whatever. And so we're waiting anymore, waiting anymore, waiting anymore, waiting and all the sudden, we're at the end of life now and we've avoided obedience. All of our Lives waiting for something that never happened. And it probably would have happened. If you'd just step forward and did something at the church, just really moved out. No more spectators. Waiting on God must never replace responding to God Point. Number 3, is this guy does not move instead of his people. He moves through his people. Does not move instead of his people, he moves through them, Hebrews chapter 10 verse five. It says this is why when Christ came into the world. He said to them, you did not want animal sacrifices or sin, but you've given me a body to offer. We were not pleased with burnt offerings. Are other offerings for sin and then I said look I have come to do your will of God as it is written about me in the scriptures. Did I just tell you that. That last line verse 7 we need to pray that this week. I'm talking about every one of us God then I said God look I've come to do your will of God I just want to do your will David said I want to feel I want to fulfill my purpose for my generation what, whatever, whatever the reason was, I was born to be here in in in in 2026. All I want. Is to fulfill that purpose in my life. I want to do your will of God as it is written about me in Scripture. Sit with that. Just a little bit. Think about that. God is willing. Is ready and God is looking, but no one, the scripture says, step forward, nobody step forward. I think that's a lot. What's happening today at? Caesar Street. Chronicler Frank bartaman, if you've ever read about, Azusa, you've heard about Frank, he observed that moves of God, listen to this moves of God, great. Revivals of God, stalled out, not because of a lack of Prayer. not because of the lack of prayer, but because of a lack of yielded people,

So the great move of God, if you know anything about Azusa and other with great moves of God that have gone across our country and across the world. He's staying, they stall. Not because people prayed about it because guys can I just tell you that's the easiest thing to do. Well my call is just afraid that's it. I'm not supposed to do anything else so I'm just supposed to pray that that's not what I thought. It was the lack of yielded people. People really willing to get up off of it and go do something about it.

So God is not limited by power. He's limited by participation.

Point number four.

A church full of Spectators will never make an impact. Matthew chapter 28. Verse 19 through 20 says, therefore go and make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teach those new disciples to obey. All the commands. I've given you and be sure of this. I am with you always even unto the end of the age. Jesus did not say watch. He did not say there for watch and make disciples. He didn't say that he didn't say wait and make disciples. He didn't say observe. He said go

He was referring to every one of us. He said, go make and teach go make and teach. The stadium. Stadiums today will be full of our cross our country. I don't know what they're all there for cuz I'm not allowed to talk about that. But Some stadiums will be full. I know there's a stadium in Dallas that will be empty today but I'm not allowed to talk about that, so I don't know. Stadium has thousands of people watching. Have you ever looked at that I'm amazed at the crowds I'm amazed at how crazy they are. I mean crazy cuz I've never seen somebody come to church and Steve and pull off their shirt and paint paint their belly FL. See, you know what I'm saying? Like next week like that. I painted all, orange, and white across his belly, you know I'm thinking, oh my goodness.

We're going to have the ministry of dark sunglasses from thousands of people in their one side screaming for this and one side screaming for that and it's just crazy. And it's deafening so loud. There's a few guys down there on the field that are really doing the thing, they're called playing the game, while the rest of us are telling them how to do it as though we really know.

Everyone is affected though. By the outcome, the kingdom of God was never designed to be that way. The kingdom of God was never designed to have a great big arena where everybody just watched everything happened, the kingdom of God was where the kingdom of God, the people of the kingdom of God was on the floor, or the ones really play in the game. We're the ones that have our hand on the ball, we're the ones that have our hand on what God is wanting to do. The kingdom of heaven, was never meant to be full of Spectators that it's full of in 2026 of people of making. Come up with every reason why they can't and no reason why they can't do anything for God. Procrastination. Its lack of participation, it's lazy laziness.

We've lost our fire. We've lost our desire. We've lost our burden. We've lost our heartbeat. We're complacent.

And we don't want to hear anybody challenge us about that.

The church doesn't exist to be watched. The church exists to be carried and moved about. I'm telling you I don't care how old you are. I don't care how many aches and pains you have there is something God has for you to do and you better find out what it is because the Bible says it's a sin to know this and you now know it and not do anything about it. Send this pleases God.

His point number 5. My last one. You're going to shout. Amen. You better hurry or times leaving participation always precedes impact. Participation always ixia precedes impact? Isaiah 6:8 says this, then I heard the Lord asking Who should I send as a messenger to the people who will go for us? And he said here, I am send me Isaiah, didn't know the assignment. Did you get that sometimes? Bob Miller Well, there's Bob different Bob's in here. I just wanted to let us know. We're talk to you sometimes. I'll ask Melody Melody. Would you do me a favor? You know what? She says, back to me what?

I'm like, no. I just want you to say yes. She's like I'm not going to say yes until you tell me what it is. I'm like, I want you to trust me.

I mean, look at this face.

I mean, just because you seen me in a post office before doesn't mean anything.

He did not know. Isaiah did not know the assignment. He didn't know what God was going to tell him to do and that's the same way this with money. She's like I'm not you tell me what it is and then I'll tell you whether I'll do it if I don't know what I want and she was like okay I'll do it I might go see you. So trust in me from the beginning trust and Obey cuz there's no other way.

He didn't know the assignment. Isaiah didn't know what it was going to cost him.

Isaiah didn't know what the outcome would be? He just stood up and said here, am I send me? Do you understand what? Kind of faith that is a me. We read that. So nonchalant, like yeah, he just popped up and said here. I am send me, but then you realize, what was at stake here? He didn't know what he was going to do, he didn't know how much it was going to cost them and he didn't know what the outcome would be. He just says I'll go. And that's the kind of people. In January of 2026 to God's looking for, not people that have this. Just some things you that you don't need to pray about. If God says that, you need to go do it. I don't have to pray about going into all the world, he already told me to go what's there to pray about it.

Isaiah made itself available. An impact does not begin with certainty. It begins with willingness. Oh God, I'm willing to go wherever you want me to go and God, I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do. I don't know the cost. I don't know what it is. Exactly. You want me to do? I don't know how long it'll take, but here's what I know. I'm. I'm your man and I'll go. So, here's my question for you this morning. As I close, Where have I been watching instead of participating?

Where have I been watching? Instead of participate? Here's another good question, what has God already asked me to do? maybe you your brother at your playing, like, you don't know but but you know,

Or here's a good question. The last one. Have I postponed obedience? Waiting for that perfect day.

Have I postponed it? And you know, this altar call at this time of prayer is not for people who are necessarily who are sure of what they need to go. Do I think this time of prayer is for people who are just willing to go, do whatever?

Whatever. Whenever However,

If we keep on waiting, for God to move without us Family Life Church, we may wait forever.

So if you would just bow your heads for just a moment, those that I'm talkin to wear those that are convicted about just being passive. They're ready to stop waiting and they're willing to start participating. They're willing to pray the prayer. God I'm available. Use me where I am.

God doesn't ask for Willing for Readiness rather. He just asked for willing.

I don't know if I'm ready or not. Long time ago, I had two children. Wasn't ready for it, I thought I was, but I wasn't.

There's just some things you do before, you're ready.

People that will say God, where can I participate?

But that conviction, I feel down inside of me is not frustration with my pastor over what he said that conviction is the holy spirit. Speaking to you to say yes, the one clear Act of obedience to stop waiting for perfect conditions and just do something? That's you. I want you to stand to your feet and come stand across the front up here. Not I want to pray with you.